Gradometer



Sept. 8, 1925. 1,552,487

w. E. JOHNSTON GRADOMETER Filed Aug. 2. 1923 ATTORNEY- To all whom it may .STON, a citizen of the United States, residing Patented Sept 8, 1925.

. UNITED. STATES; PATENT OFFICE.

wanna. mm or 'YOUNGSTOWR, omo.

onnnoum'm concern I Be it known that I, WALTER E. Joan'- in thecity of Youngstown, county of Mahoning, and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gradoineters, of which the following is a specificati'on,-reference being had to the accompanying drawings. I

This invention pertains to gradometers,

and the object is to provide a simple and efiicient mechanical device for automatically readjustin the degree of grade upon which an automo ile or other vehicle may be travcling. In the drawing Figure 1 is a vertical, longitudinal section throu h the device as attached to the inst ment card of an automobile;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section;

Figure 3 is a section of'the instrument board showing the dial and indicator thereon.

The invention consists of a suitable supporting housing 1 mounted with screws 2- on the forward side of the instrument board 3, while on the back or outer face of the instrument board is mounted a dial and indicator housing 4 in alignment with the housing 1. An indicator shaft 5 is journaled through the supporting housing and through the instrument board, so that the back end is disposed within the housing 4 while the forward end extends through the housin 1. The shaft 5 pierces the instrument hoard perpendicularly. A dial 6,

marked with the 360 degrees of a circle is mounted over the end of the shaft 5 within the housing 4, and the indicator hand 7 is rigidly mounted at this end of the shaft 5, so as to turn over the dial 6 within the housing 4. The housing 4 may have curved slots 8 out therethrough to reveal the indicator hand, and its position relative to the dial. A beveled inion gear 9-is mounted at the forward end of the shaft 5. Depending also from the housing 1 and to one side of the shaft 5, is an oil chamber 10, in the form of a sector, closed at one end 11, and having a screw cap 12 as a closure for the other end. This oil chamber is so located that the transverse axis thereof would meet perpendicularly the axis of the shaft 5; and it is constructed of two s aced sector webs 13 carryin on their erip eries a sector cylinder 14, having a s 0t 15, formed around its Applicationflled August 2; 1923. Serial norms inner eriphery between the webs 13. A

pendu um shaft 16 is journaled through the axis of the-oil chamber 10 and this shaft carries at its inner end a bevel gear 17 in mesh with the pinion gear 9. v

A relatively heavy pendulum 18 is suspended by means of a thin shank 19 from the shaft 16 to which it is rigidly joined,

whilethe pendulum 18 swings freely within the cylinder 14 to the general shape of which it conforms so as to substantially fill the interior thereof. The thin shank 19 plays between the webs 13. A fly-wheel shaft 20 is journalediin the housing'l opposite to the shaft 5, and a beveled pinion 21 on the inner end of this' shaft 20 meshes with the gear 17, while a fly-wheel 22 is mounted at the outer end of the shaft 20. A heavy oil is filled into the cylinder 14.

In use, the pendulum 18 will always, of course, stand approximately vertical on any grade, causing the indicator 7 in connection with the dial 6 to show the degree of the grade. The oil and fly-wheel act as stabilisers on the action of the pendulum to prevent its too sudden movement.

While I have herein described a certain specific manner and method of constructing and assembling the elements of my invention', it is understood that Imay vary from the same in minor details, not departing from the spirit of my invention, so as best to construct a practical device for the purpose intended, as defined in the appended claim;

I claim:

Ina device of the kind described, the combination with an instrument board of an automobile, of a supporting housing on the forward side of the instrument board; a dial and indicator housing on the opposite side thereof; an indicator shaft journaled through the instrument board and the sup-' periphery between the sector-Webs; a penand pendulum; a fiy-wheel shaft iournaled dulum shaft journaled through the axis of in the housing opposite to the indicator 10 the oil chamber; a bevel gear at the inner shaft; a pinion gear on the inner end of end of said shaft in mesh with the pinion the fly-wheel shaft in mesh with the gear 5 gear of the indicator shaft; a endulum susof the pendulum shaft; a fly-wheel at the pended in the oil cylinder; a t in shank exouter end of the fly-wheel shaft; tended between the sector-webs and rigidly joined at its ends to the said pendulum shaft WALTER E. JOHNSTON. 

